Position Description Outline
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark
Once completed, this clergy position will be posted on our diocesan website with a link to this document.
Date Submitted__9/28/17____
GENERAL INFORMATION
Congregation Name ___St Bartholomew’s Church
Street Address ______70 Sheridan Avenue ______
City______Ho-Ho-Kus______New Jersey Zip__07432______
Telephone: Area Code ___201___ / ___444-5025______Fax:______/______
E-mail address: ______
Website: _____www.stbartshhk.com______
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)______
PARISH LIFE
Worship
The following group of questions is intended to give us a feel for your congregation’s weekly worship experience.
· What is the time of your Sunday service(s)?__8am & 10am______
· How many people can you comfortably seat in your church?____190_____
· What was your Average Sunday Attendance in 2014? _47____ For Easter?_146____ For Christmas Eve?_184_____
· How do you provide for music in worship? (check all appropriate answers) Organ __X__; Piano _X____; Recorded music ____; Paid organist (pianist) _X____; Volunteer organist (pianist)___ Contemporary music provided by ______
· Do you have a choir? (check the appropriate answer): Every Sunday _X (except for Summer) ___;Special occasions only _____; No choir _____; Other music leaders ____; No music leaders
· Who usually assists the priest in the service? (check all appropriate answers) Associate Priest___ Deacon _____; Lay Eucharistic Ministers __X___; Acolytes X__.
· Are your acolytes: Adults? ____; Young People?____; Some of Each __X___
· Is your church heated comfortably during the winter months? Yes _X__ No ___. Is it air conditioned in the summer? Yes _X__ No ___
· Do Sunday school children join the congregation for the Eucharist? Yes _X___ No ____.
· Are services conducted in English? X__ Spanish? __ Korean?__ Another language? Which one? ______(Check all appropriate answers).
· Does your sanctuary show any structural problems, such as leaky roof, water damage; broken or missing windows, sloping floor, stress fractures in walls; falling plaster? Yes ___ No __X__
· Nurture
The following group of questions is intended to acquaint us with your Christian education, membership development, stewardship and leadership development programs
· Do you have a Sunday school for young people? Yes _X__ No ___.
· What is the average Sunday attendance of your church school? ____9____
· How many adult teachers of Sunday School do you have ? __1____
· Are Sunday School pupils grouped by age in separate classes? _____NO______
· Do you have a youth choir? Yes ____ No __X__ If Yes, how many? ______
· Do you have a teen program? Yes X___ No ____ If Yes, how many? __4__
· If “Yes”, how many adults work with your teens? ___2___
· Do you have an ECW? ____ Men’s club? ____ Altar guild? __X__ or Any other group or guild __ (check the appropriate answers)
· Have you had a confirmation class in the past 6 years? Yes __X__ No ____
· Do you have a regular adult education program? Yes _X__ No ___. If Yes, please describe:
Sunday night series based on a topic, led by our minister.
o If “Yes,” many times did the program meet during the past year (check the appropriate answer)? Less than 5 ___ 5 to 10 ___ More than 10 _X___
o How many adult persons led your adult education programs? __1____
· Do you have a special Lenten program? Yes ___ No _X__. Give a brief description of your program:
· In the past year, did anyone from your church (clergy or laity) attend any educational programs, leadership conferences, congregational development programs offered by the diocese or another organization? Yes ___ No _X__
o If “Yes,” how many individuals attended? ___
o If “Yes,” which programs did they attend? (Please list them here)
Stewardship
· Do you have a stewardship committee? Yes _X__ No ___. If yes, how many members? __3__
· In the past year, was any of the following part of the stewardship program?
o An all member stewardship canvas: Yes ___ No _X__
o Small group meetings Yes ___ No _X__
o Letters to the congregation Yes _X__ No ___
o Pledge cards Yes _X__ No ___;
o Stewardship articles in the newsletter or Sunday bulletin Yes _X__ No ___
o Personal testimonials about stewardship Yes _X__ No ___.
· Are new members asked to pledge in their first year? Yes _X__ No ___
· Is proportionate giving an important part of your stewardship program? Yes ___ No _X__
· Did you begin, conduct, or complete a capital campaign in the past two years? Yes _X__; No ___. If yes, what was the purpose or goal of the campaign?_General Funds for future building concerns.______
· Did you use a professional firm to assist with the campaign? Yes ____ No _X___
Welcoming & Hospitality
· Do you have a membership committee? Yes ___ No _X__
· Are greeters assigned to welcome newcomers at Sunday services? Yes _X__ No ___
· Do you have a regular coffee hour after Sunday services? Yes _X__ No ___
· Are greeters designated to introduce newcomers during coffee hour? Yes ___ No __X__
· Are visitors added to your church mailing list? Yes ___ No _X_ (has to attend a few times)__
· Do you hold dinners or other fellowship events at your church? Yes _X__ No ___
o If yes, what kind? _Bistro fundraiser, Annual Meeting Brunch, Sunday School End of year Picnic How many are you able to seat comfortably in your location for dinner?
§ 1-25 ___ 25-60 __X_ More than 60 ___
· Did anyone join a committee or take part in a ministry for the first time in your church?
Yes__X__ No____ If Yes, how many? __1_- Vestry____
· Do any teens or young adults (ages 18-30) serve on your vestry or in some leadership role?
Yes __ No_X__ If “Yes”, how many? ______
Outreach
· Which of the following outreach programs occur at your church? (Check all appropriate answers) Soup kitchen ___; Food pantry ___; Deliver food and clothing to the homeless _X__; Thrift Shop ____; Organized visits to hospitals, nursing homes or shut-ins ___; Fund raising for charities ___; English as a second language classes ____; Day care (or after school care) ___; After School programs ___; Seniors programs___; Other __ (please list ) ______
· Please list the programs you support with volunteers, but occur off your premises: _ Migrant Workers, “Oasis”; Shelter for Women and Children
· How many parishioners contribute their time regularly to outreach done through or at your church? (check the appropriate answer) Less than 10 _X; 10 to 20 __; More than 20 ___.
· Does the congregation expect to start any new outreach ministries during this year? Yes __ No _X__ Please describe:
Buildings and Property
What is the current state of your physical plant?
Very Good condition
What significant repairs do you anticipate needing in the next three years?
No anticipated repairs to the church building itself. The Rectory will need some TLC since our previous minister lived there for over 25 yrs.
Do you presently rent any part of your building? If “Yes”, do you have a lease agreement? What rent do you currently receive? Does the rent include payment for utilities and property taxes? NO
Our Congregation’s Goals
Define the four most important ministry/mission goals your congregation hopes to accomplish in the next two or three years. Make sure they are SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic, Time framed.
1. Spread and reinforce the good news: Engaging with Local Communities (ie events, meetings, etc.). Increase Attendance; especially among younger families.
2. Reshape the existing congregation. Target young adults and those of middle age via our website and other means to connect with those searching for information regarding religion and churches. Development of programs aimed to attract additional parish members.
3. Expand Christian education and youth group programs. Grow the youth group; call the youth to assist with outreach. Our long-term objective: starting Church early in life will result in continued ties to the Church in early adulthood and beyond.
4. Remain economically viable, as smaller churches like St. Bartholomew’s have budget problem. Our objective: smooth operations, cut costs, save time and effort, and save wear and tear on staff and buildings.
How did you come up with these goals? (Check all that apply)
o Survey ___
o Worked with consultant ___
o Community meeting ___
o Focus (Small) Group ___
o Vestry X
o Committee ____
o Other ____ (Please describe)
Does your congregation have a ministry plan? Yes X__ No__
A mission statement? Yes __ No X__ If so, please either or both.
What are the strengths of this congregation?
- A core group of roughly 40 parishioners that love St. Bartholomew’s and are more than willing to support all of our church activities; Camaraderie, Loyalty, Team-Work approach; strength of Faith.
- A close-knit relationship of a small congregation, which bonds together to get things accomplished with the different talents each member possesses.
- We have a beautiful church and grounds in a demographic area that can potentially draw additional communicants from towns outside of HHK.
- Current financial profile is stable and has been able to sustain current operations for a number of years and to provide for a limited number of possible emergency situations; (i.e. damage to buildings) We are fortunate to have a Vestry that is very careful in managing financial resources and to have a financial advisor that helps to wisely invest our assets.
- Robust confirmation classes year after year.
- Highly dedicated organist and choir.
What are the challenges that this congregation faces?
- Maintaining, but more so, growing the church’s membership. Attendance is always an issue.
- How to increase attendance in our youth program.
- Engaging and embracing our new Minister.
- We are not sufficiently endowed financially to avoid a high level of dependence on “pledge and plate” income.
- Lay volunteers are lacking and many of those we have are aging.
Clergy Ministry Skill Areas & Responsibilities
Using the following list of 16 Ministry Skill Areas, identify and rank the four most important areas and then list the duties the priest will perform to fulfill that responsibility.
4 1. Administration: Ability to manage the affairs of the congregation, diocese, or other institution, including programs, organizations, finances, etc.
2. Christian Education: Ability to lead in the design and implementation of comprehensive programs of Christian Education.
1 3. Church Growth/Development: Ability to reshape or restart existing congregations or to plant new congregations.
4. Ecumenism: Ability in programs sponsored inter-denominationally or jointly by a number of churches.
5. Evangelism: Ability to train and lead persons to proclaim by word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to invite others into Christian fellowship.
6. Liturgics: Ability to plan and conduct liturgical services of corporate worship.
7. Music Ministry: Ability to support congregational ministry through music, e.g. lead, inspire, perform, compose, train, coordinate.
8. Outreach Ministry: Ability to equip and serve the community of faith in ministry to persons in need within and beyond the congregation.
**also 9. Pastoral Care: Ability to care for people so that they are nurtured and equipped for growth within the community of faith.
**also 10. Preaching: Ability to preach with clarity and to make the Gospel relevant in people’s lives.
11. Social/Community Ministry: Ability to enable persons within the congregations to become aware of and participate in community concerns.
2 12. Spiritual Guidance: Ability to lead and encourage others in the formation and development of a deeper spiritual life.
13. Stewardship: Ability to lead in the development and use of individual and congregational resources.
**also 14. Teaching: Ability to help persons of all ages understand and live the Christian Faith.
15. Home Visitation: Ability to provide regular pastoral care through visiting church members in their homes.
3 16. Youth Work: Ability to inspire youth and incorporate them onto the full life and ministry of the Church.
Clergy Ministry List of Duties
Here is an example:
Skill Area: Pastoral Care
Duties
a. Take communion to the homebound at Christmas and Easter.
b. Visit members in the local hospital, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities once a week.
c. Develop program to train a lay caring/calling ministry
d. Be available for pastoral emergencies, wedding, and funerals.
1. Skill Area: Celebrate Communion Services
Duties
a. Sunday Services – 8am & 10am
b. Thursday Healing Pray Service – 9:30am
c. Thursday Bible Study 10am
2. Skill Area: Pastoral Care
Duties
a. Communion to the homebound
b. Visitation to members in hospital, nursing homes, assisted living facilities
c. Available for pastoral emergencies, weddings, and funerals.
3. Skill Area: Administrative Assistance
Duties
a. Ability to run/ organize pastoral office
b. Assist parish administrator with the weekly tasks when needed
c. Assist / organize the different outside organizations that use our church and parish hall
d. Be a liaison for our church with the Diocese of Newark
4. Skill Area: Educator
Duties
a. Conduct and Instruct various religious education topics/courses to the members of our parish and community through different series of lectors, etc.
b. Conduct and Instruct Confirmation Classes on a yearly basis; if needed.
Leadership Style
Briefly describe the leadership style of your next priest that you believe would be the most effective for this congregation.
Firm, Fair, Sincere, Deeply Committed to Our Goals, Enthusiastic, Consensus Builder;
Lead by Example.
CLERGY POSITION DESCRIPTION
We are seeking (please check one):
X Interim Priest
___ Priest-in-Charge
___ Rector
___ Priest-in-Residence (Sundays+10-15 hours/week)
___ Supply Clergy (Sunday)
The Clergy will be employed in a (please check one):
X Full time position
_____ Half time position (25 hours plus full benefits).
_____ Part time position (up to 25 hours, offering some additional benefits).
o How many hours?
o Specify what benefits will be offered